Town Clean Up Shows Me That Today's Youth Is Just Fine!

At the end of April the town's high school students invited anyone who wanted to participate to join them and help clean up the village. Bags and gloves in hand the kids walked up and down the streets picking up trash, bottles and anything else they found. There were over 25 volunteer HS Students which I think says a lot about today's youth. This is their town and they want to help it stay beautiful. Here some of them are during a break. Texting, laughing and snacking, how you expect teenagers to be.

Handsome came with me to to take their pictures while I took theirs he asked me to take his. I of course was happy to oblige.

Here is a group shot of whomever I could get to sit for it!

I am not sure which Handsome picture I like best. How about you?

Handsome Turns 9

Wow...I cannot believe my Handsome is already 9. The last year before he turns double digits. I swear I was pregnant with him yesterday. Thankfully my blog allows me to relive each birthday.  Last year I didn't do it and regret it so this year, I am thinking better late than never.

This photo is the day before his birthday.

Handsome,

You are such a special boy. I love you so much. My first born. My son! You are a challenge but an interesting one. You have come so far and cannot believe how much you have grown this year. There have been so many changes in just a few short weeks too. The biggest one is your saying, "I love you" without being prompted. In the past I would have to ask for it. After I said it to you, especially at bedtime after saying it would tell you, "now you say it to me." You would say it but it was between a closed jaw and never felt real but I was happy to get it. NOW...and I would say, it has only been about two months, whenever I say, I Love You. You say, I love you too mom! I am thrilled and rejoice each time I hear it. It feels and sounds real and my heart swells with each one!

These days you love:
Xbox games
Wii games
Playing alone
Playing with people
Phineas and Ferb
The Little Rascals
and
Laughing

You are very basic and have a huge appetite. You like hot dogs, chicken, letter pasta, meatballs, eggs, bacon, and apples.

You did awesome in school this year. You read so well that all your teachers tell me they are very impressed with how you manage to sound words out that are well above your level and that your diction is outstanding. All of this makes me very proud.

While you are still in speech and OT, your instructors really know you and are helping you with your weaknesses. A lisp and low muscle tone in your hands is still what is mentioned along with staying on task without losing focus. Studying is challenging to you. You have no patience for it.

• You love being first
• You love eating out
• You still prefer being home more than anywhere else.
• You love hugging and being tickled.  Your hugs are the best.
• You still love being on my lap and I often find you coming up behind me and wrapping your arms around me while you lean into me smelling my hair and telling me that it smells wonderful.
• You are having trouble getting used to me working for a few hours and constantly tell me how much you missed me and how much you are going to miss me before I even leave the house.
• You talk often about when you grow up you are going to have cats and dogs.
• You still think everything is special if it has your name on it.
• You have taken to writing us notes to tell us how you are feeling.
• You love hearing that we are proud of you
• I have to referee you and Goddess about 15 times a day. Usually over something stupid like you don't want her watching you play Wii or you think she is wasting your time when she is walking slow in front of you.
• You sometimes try to act like you are the adult and in charge with your sister and your friends and get upset when they tell you that you are not the boss.
• You have started mimicking everyone's sneeze and have it down. You sound like all of us. Maybe you will do voices when you are older.  Whenever someone sneezes you laugh. This may be a problem in school when the kids start complaining to the teacher and eventually the principal.

You got in trouble in school this year a few times. I was called by the principal three times the last call was the worst one. You punch a kid. Walked up to him while he was sitting at his desk with his arms across it. Told him to remove his hands and when he wouldn't you hit him. You say you punched him. Your teachers and your fellow classmates were shocked. I was shocked! My son, why? What did you do that for? We talked about it for a few days. Eventually you told me that you thought he was going to do something stupid and you hit him for no reason. You were grounded by us and thankfully the school removed the suspension as I requested and after a meeting with the principal, the teachers and your aids, it was established that you didn't know that what you were doing wasn't OK! I think you know it wasn't OK and while I know it wasn't a punch you touch another little boys face and I asked the school to take away the school bus, recess and lunch time with your friends because that is what would stick with you and maybe you would learn not to bully. Oddly enough this came right after a non-bullying rally at your school. Go figure.

• You are a really good and aggressive soccer player. 
• You like going to Cub Scouts and sharing with your friends. 
• You love swimming
• You and Goddess always play nice together we out and look for each other when not in the house unless you are in school when you act like you don't know her.

You are almost as tall as me which isn't hard, I am 4'11" and you are 4'9" which means by your next birthday, you will probably be taller than I am at 10 years old. Crazy!

You have become my bug killer, chore helper, laundry carrier, grocery bagger and food put away guy. You help carry things up and down the stairs and are always on a TP or paper towel run for us to the downstairs supply closet.

You take pride in helping and love visiting family. You wish we all loved in a really big house together.

You are my favorite little guy!

Instagram Is Our New Favorite App

Our April Instagram Pictures

Arbor Day Recap & Goddess Plants A Tree

The end of April, I was invited to take photos of the elementary school's celebration of Arbor Day.


There is something about watching your kids march with their friends down the street. They are with their class, the teacher and other, so controlled, laughing, smiling and then they spot you. Their mommy! They are so happy to see you and it feels good when your child waves at you from a sea of smiling faces. It warms my heart and makes me feel more like a mom than any moment.

He spots me and waves! Hi Mommy! God I love that face!

One of my favorites of the day. They all look so funny. Not sure what was going on here but love the faces.

After Handsome, Goddess spots me as her class enters the park.

The kids all do a little poetry, which is always adorable to me.

AND than....as if Goddess hasn't had enough Birthday coverage....the Mayor asks everyone with a birthday in April to come forward. They are each given a shovel and told that they will help plant the tree that was donated to the kids of the elementary school.

She was in her glory. As you can see, only Goddess got the joke as they got instructions.

She really put her back into it. Those kids in the back look like they are saying, "OK...they didn't really mean plant the tree. You can stop now! Relinquish the shovel little girl!" The DPW guys didn't look like they were too eager to take over the shoveling. They were leaning against the truck thinking, child labor is a good thing.
I thought for sure she would talk about the tree every time we visit the park but she never mentions it. Umm....

Finishing Up Goddess' Birthday Month FINALLY

Wow..April was full.

Goddess' birthday with us, than with her friends and her class party. It was crazy. She was one happy girl. So fun for her since at 7 she is really into her special day.

It was so fun to watch her act the clown in front of her class. She is obviously comfortable with her classmates and teacher. As they sang happy birthday to her, she stood in front of them spinning and jumping like a lunatic. That is my girl. Cell phone and jumping girl doesn't make a good photo but here they are.

I always feel like it is my birthday on Goddess and Handsome's special day too. After all, these were the best days and gifts of my life.

Beside all these special moments in Goddess' month, a friend of mine who I met through my community website gave Goddess a smore's pizza by Guy Fiori which she found at BJ's. It was delish!!!!

We put a candle in it and took a picture for my friend which didn't come out well but here it is anyway.

Friend's Birthdays Are Just As Fun As Your Own

Goddess went to her friend's birthday the end of April. He was the little boy who gave her her very first Valentine's gift. His dad threw his birthday at The Castle Fun Center. This was our second time here and we think it is the best place for some family fun that isn't too far away and not too expensive to spend the day. Throwing a party is a whole different story, it is expensive but they do give you a lot. Goddess had a blast. I saw her as a blur as she ran past me in her purple shorts. I love watching her have a good time in a controlled but free situation. I kept my distance and let her fly alone. She was smiling the whole time.

Chuck E. Comes Home With Us

We had so many Chuck E. Cheese Balloons come home with us, I thought we were going to need to tie the kids to the roof. We have a Toyota Corolla which barely fits the four of us let alone, tons of birthday gifts, my camera and all these Chuck E. balloons.

The balloons stayed with us for a month and a half. Not sure what they are made of, but lasted forever.

Chuck E. Cheese's Throws An Awesome Party

This year we had Goddess' 7th Birthday party for her friends at Chuck E. Cheese's. Her aunt had sent some money toward the party and they are getting older so we figured lets just do it and let her have a great time before she no longer wants these kinds of parties.

We had the best time. The kids were given soooo many tokens and even when the pizza was a few minutes late (I hadn't even noticed), they gave us even more tokens. Every once in a while Chuck E. would walk through and toss coins. We hardly saw the kids as they jumped so quickly from game to game that they weren't in one place long enough to spot them. Head counts were almost impossible but every time we did see their faces, they were smiling!

Hanging from the ceiling in a cage but at least I knew where they were.

We were able to get some of the group together for a picture. Wasn't an easy task either. They were flying.

Goddess, invited her and my Daisy troop and a few of her male friends that she has known since preschool, along with Jewel who was the oldest of the group and Handsome. It was a great group of kids and I felt the kids were in a safe environment where they could enjoy some freedom.

As you can clearly see, they had a fab time!

Our host was amazing and the manager very thoughtful and courtesy. Best place ever! The pizza was great, the cake was great and the service was amazing! Our bill was much lower than we had anticipated and my kids went again this past week because we still had over 100 tokens left! They played for 2 hours and I never paid a cent. Thanks for making my daughter's birthday so amazing.

Pictures of Goddess and Jewel going into the ticket booth and the kids looking at them pointing to the floating tickets.

And now for the favors!

Night Buddies By Handsome and Mommy

The 411 by Maria and Handsome:

We decided to start reading this book together last week while babysitting. The other kids were occupied and I pulled this out of my handy dandy briefcase. "What's that mom?" It's a book about a boy and his red crocodile friend. Want to read? I asked.

Over the next few night we read it alternating pages so that we both took a turn. It was a great experience and the book was a lot of fun. I can't wait to read more books with Handsome and as soon as Goddess can read a little better she will LOVE this story too.

John like Goddess isn't tired and doesn't want to go to bed at bedtime. The next thing you know he has a red alligator under his bed named Crosley. Together they sneak out and right the wrongs like someone stealing pineapple cheesecakes.

Very imaginative and fun. Handsome likes that John has a secret friend who is red (his favorite color) and enjoyed most his time reading with mom. Well, that is what he said when I asked what he liked most about the book. I am sure author Sands won't mind that since the story was generated during bedtime stories between him and his son. 

Hopefully there are many more John and Crosley stories coming. 

  

My 1st Lesbian Experience

Ok..well it wasn't my first, but the first was like over 26 years ago when a girlfriend on my street told me she was gay as I was sitting on her couch watching General Hospital. She told me and then spent the rest of the show watching me. I felt her staring at me and casually left after GH assuring her that nothing would change. I never went back there again and avoided her as much as possible when you live on the same street.

This experience was a little different. I was not sitting on a couch, I was not 14 and my kids and a friend were with me.

Walking through the mall the other day I was dodging vendors left and right until I came upon a women resembling Salma Hayek. She was holding one of these little beauties in her hand




The Squiggler

I always wanted to try one so I shouted over the crowd. How much? She walked over with her long, flowing hair, bohemian skirt and Salma accent; grabbed my wrist, placed the Squiggler on my head and said, "hold on sweetie, I am a women and I am wonderful to be with are you ready to go there?" Well...I am as hetero as the next person but if I let her keep that damn squiggler on my head a second longer I would have needed a moment. I took it off my head and asked her how much. She said $25.00 but if you really, really want one I can give it to you for $19.00. I haven't a pot to piss in. We get groceries from the friggin food pantry, my kids are angels on the friggin post office Christmas tree for 2 years in a row now and I bought one. This chick could sell a pair of reading glasses to a blind guy.

My husband has asked me to tell him the story a few times now.

Because I Can't Write Enough About My Kids

Post 3 of Goddess' birthday. Find her birthday post here

In the morning we headed out as a family for breakfast. We don't eat out often so this was really exciting. It was only a diner but I was happy to be with my family.

After breakfast we stopped to check out the reservoir. We have passed it for the past 13 years but never stopped to see it. We drove back into the woods, parked and got out.  Didn't have the camera with me so I used Instagram to document the moment.

Goddess always wears a dress. On this morning she also wore a long scarf also. I mean how can you do a birthday breakfast if you are not dressed up?

I stayed behind them so I could get a picture of  The Teach and the kids walking. Beautiful morning.

 There are my three favorite hearts all in a row. Love these guys.

Plus a moment for a self portrait

 After breakfast, Goddess put on her new Monster High Costume. Loves her Monster High dolls.

 As the day got warmer, Goddess decided to soak her feet outside in her new Orbeez foot spa.

Last, a picture of Mommy and the birthday girl.

The White Devil by Justin Evans

The 411 by Maria:
Before kids, I was a big fan of Stephen King and read everything by him and authors in the same genre. A Stephen King quote on the cover and I was in! Soooo...I really wanted to like this book.

It took me over two weeks to read which kinda tells me that I wasn't really into it. I like the idea of Andrew, an American being sent to a rich boarding school and I like the idea of a ghost haunting the school but I didn't connect with the story at all.

There were moments when I thought, ahhh finally, I like this..things are getting better but it just never got there for me. I appreciate the fact that the story incorporates the non-fictional Lord Byron and his life at Harrow School and mashups of reality with fiction are interesting to me but I can't put my finger on what would have made this better for me which is why I have always referred to myself as the Amateur Book Reviewer because really, what do I know.

What I did like was the ghost hunt and the visions of the ghost and his ability to give people a life threatening disease. Creepy and a little disturbing.

The Three Stooges on DVD & In My Life

See the Three Stooges anyway you want on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download

If you are lucky enough to have one Stooge in your life, consider yourself fortunate. I have tons of them and feel blessed everyday. My kids and their friends are a constant source of silly pictures along with some new friends. Please join them as they pay tribute to Moe, Larry and Curly in our own way. 

Jewel in the pool

Handsome and his friends, Moe, Larry and Curly or Gollum as I see him in this picture

The 3 Stooges sitting on the rock in April

Some new friends doing their Moe impression with cookies